Al-Sadr insists on complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq

Albuquerque, New Mexico (CaymanMama.com) — Some Shiite clerics are still unhappy with the current situation in Iraq following the deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from the country’s cities and towns in compliance with the security agreement between the United States and Iraq.

The continued presence of American troops in Iraq “shows that the (Iraqi) government and the occupation are not serious about the withdrawal,” a key Iraqi Shiite cleric said Wednesday.

Muqtada al-Sadr took to his official Web site a day to discuss his anger. Nearly 131,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, taking post on military bases and outposts outside of population centers.

“The withdrawal should include all the occupation forces: army, intelligence, militias, and security companies and others. Otherwise, the withdrawal will be uncompleted and useless,” al-Sadr said.